The Four Gospels Course

Jesus moved away from the crowds and went up on the mountain to teach those students who came to him. He taught them: ·“The poor, in spirit, are in luck: the kingdom of the skies is theirs. (He means that though people are poor in terms on money, in spirit they are wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, for it’s richness in spirit that counts in heaven.) ·The mourners are in luck: they will be consoled. (When in the presence of God, the people will see that spirit goes on and there is no need for mourning.) ·The gentle are in luck: they will inherit the earth. (It is through love that things change. It’s only through love that the way of a person’s heart will change and eventually that will be the way of the earth.) ·Those hungering and thirsting for justice are in luck: they will get their fill. (There is always justice in the universe. The universe always strives towards balance. Balance is another word for Karma. The universe takes care of itself, so we don’t have it.) ·The merciful are in luck: they will be treated mercifully. (Again, another way of saying, ‘what goes around, comes around.’) ·The clean-hearted are in luck: they will see God. (Those who are clean-hearted and see the goodness in others, are seeing God all the time. Their reward for being clean-hearted is to be able to see the good in the rest of the world. Just as the opposite is true: If you lie or are deceitful, your penance is that you will not be able to trust others and will only see the bad in the world.) ·The peacemakers are in luck: they will be called God’s sons and daughters. Those who bring peace, are doing God’s work. Just as Jesus came to do God’s work, so do all of us who bring peace to the world, even in a small way. Ask yourself the times you have take the opportunity to bring peace, to resolve conflict or to give a heartfelt compliment so someone who deserves it? ·Those persecuted for the sake of justice are in luck: the kingdom of the skies is theirs. (Jesus was a tremendous storyteller and had the ability to say the same thing in a variety of ways to help people hear it. This is another example of the way of karma works. When you speak out for something that you believe in, something that’s right, you are working in harmony with God.) ·You are in luck: when they blame you and persecute you and tell lies of you, because of me, be happy and delighted, because you will be well paid in the skies. After all, they persecuted the prophets before us the same way. (Don’t be discouraged if your message isn’t welcomed. It’s difficult for people to hear the truth sometimes. If you were not saying or doing something of importance (something loving and peaceful in accordance to God’s wishes) that was about the truth, people would pay no mind.) ·“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt goes tasteless, what do you salt it with? It’s good for nothing any more, but to be thrown out and stepped on by everybody. (You’ve probably seen it happen to people; one minute they are full of vim and vigor, spouting ideas with enthusiasm and working for that which is right, then the next minute, they have allowed life to beat them down. People lose respect for them and they become objects of pity.) ·You are the light of the world. A city can’t be hidden lying on a mountain top. Nor do people light a candle and cover it with a big basket; they put it up on a tall candlestick where it can shine for everyone in the house. That’s how your light must shine in front of the world, so that people can see your good deeds and give credit to the Father in the skies. (You are an amazing being. Don’t hide your goodness and don’t allow yourself to be smothered. You have seen examples of both. Sometimes you meet someone who just seems to radiate and shine. They are ‘full of life’ and excited about being here and being who they are. There are others whose light seems to have been extinguished. You can see it in their eyes. This is not uncommon in very poor areas and in the eyes of people from poverty in other countries or people who are in slavery.)

For courses on religion and spirituality, the Universal Life Church Seminary offers a wide variety for the education of our ministers.